No Touchy! Parent Booklet

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A campaign to prevent child sexual abuse.


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NoTouchy.com 1-800-123-4567

NO TOUCHY! As a parent, talking to your child about sexual abuse topics or allowing them to be exposed to programs that teach them about this subject can be very difficult. Often, we try to avoid the whole subject all together or simply don’t know how to go about it, but many are afraid that it will do more harm than good. You’re not alone in thinking like this and we’re here to help.

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TIP Talk to your child when you’re doing something fun.

I'M AFRAID MY CHILD WILL BECOME PARANOID. You’re not alone in thinking this. Many parents have a fear that their child will become paranoid that everyone is trying to touch them inappropriately.

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DON'T BE. Studies have not found increased levels of anxiety among children in the wake of program exposure. When children do report worry after program exposure, it seems to be a level of concern that is appropriate to an increased vigilance about the problem.

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One study found lower rates of victimization of children who were exposed to these programs. NoTouchy.com

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TIP Give them a little bit of information at a time, not everything.

I'M AFRAID MY CHILD WON'T LISTEN TO ME OR OTHER GROWNUPS. Feeling this way is completely normal. Many parents believe their child will turn around and use what they’ve been taught against them or other figures of authority. Although this fear is valid, you will be surprised to find out what studies have to say. DON'T BE. Even though it feels like children would use this new information as a way to disobey, few parents and teachers report adverse reactions in children in the wake of program exposure. In contrast, studies have found increases in parent-child communication after involvement in prevention education. This is good news. Now you can be confident that with the right tools and us guiding the way, you can successfully talk to your child and help them.

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TIP Try to use simple and age-appropriate words they’ll understand

I'M AFRAID MY CHILD WILL MAKE FALSE ALLEGATIONS. That’s a legitimate fear to have. Many parents believe that children will make up or lie about others touching them inappropriately and report it as sexual abuse. DON'T BE. Studies have not found that children are more likely to misinterpret appropriate physical contact in the wake of prevention-education exposures and make false allegations. So, you see, you no longer have to be afraid of this.

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TIP Don’t make it a scary thing to talk about. Be relaxed.

I'M AFRAID MY CHILD WILL BECOME BURDENED. Often, parents believe adults have the sole obligation of protecting their child from sexual predators, but teaching them how to protect themselves will only keep them safer. It will take both you and your child to keep these predators at bay.

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DON'T BE. Take for example other prevention talks you have with child. It might be said that the responsibility to protect children on bicycles from collisions with automobiles should be in the hands of adult motorists, but few would argue against urging children to always ride with their helmets on. It might also be said that the responsibility to protect children from kidnappers should only be with adults and law enforcement, but few would argue against teaching children not to get into cars with strangers. With the right tools and us guiding the way, you can successfully talk to your child and help them. NoTouchy.com

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Studies show an increased likelihood that children will see their actions as having successfully protected themselves.

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TIP Embrace when they ask questions and try not to act surprised.

I'M AFRAID MY CHILD WON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS. As parents, we often think our children don’t have what it takes to understand difficult concepts, however, you might be surprised to know they do. Have a little bit of faith in them—they are smart and they have you as a parent to teach them the way. DON'T BE. Even though some concepts are difficult, studies have found that children of all ages do acquire the key concepts that are being taught.

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NoTouchy.com 1-800-123-4567

TIP Go to our website and see what others parents have to say.

TALK TO YOUR CHILD. We know it’s not easy, but it’s also not impossible to get there. Talking to your child about protecting themselves against perpetrators will actually help them out. If you'd like more information about how to further expand the talk between you and your child, please visit our website or call us at 1-800-123-4567. WE'RE HERE TO HELP. No Touchy! is a campaign to prevent child sexual abuse by helping parents overcome their fears. In doing so, parents will have the peace of mind of knowing that what they’re teaching their child is actually helping them and not harming them.

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A campaign to prevent child sexual abuse.


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